Agastache plant named ‘ASURO08-0’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘ASURO08-0’ is disclosed, characterized by unique rose flowers, and increased branching. Plants are vigorous and produce densely flowering verticillasters. The new cultivar is an  Agastache , suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Agastache hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘ASURO08-0’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is the result of a planned breeding program by the inventor. An open-pollination of multiple unnamed, unpatented, proprietary varieties of Agastache was made in August 2018 in Santa Paula, Calif. Seed was bulk collected and planted for out in trial conditions. ‘ASURO08-0’ was found and selected in April 2019 in the group of plants resulting from the above open-pollination.

The first asexual propagation of ‘ASURO08-0’ occurred in April 2019 by terminal vegetative cuttings at a nursery in Santa Paula, Calif. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in several successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the unique combination of characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under standard horticultural practices in Santa Paula, Calif.:

-   -   1. Unique rose-colored flowers.     -   2. Increased branching.     -   3. Densely flowering verticillaster.     -   4. Vigorous plants.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETIES

The exact parentage of ‘ASURO08-0’ cannot be determined as an open-pollination involving multiple parents was made and seed bulk collected.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘ASURO08-0’ can be compared to the commercial variety Agastache ‘Acapulco Rose’, unpatented. Plants of the two cultivars are similar in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ASURO08-0’, however, differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety produces more branches than this comparator.     -   2. The new variety produces more inflorescences than this         comparator.     -   3. Flowers of the new variety are stacked more tightly on the         verticillaster than flowers of this comparator.     -   4. The new variety is overall more floriferous than this         comparator, having more inflorescences, and denser         inflorescences with more flowers.

‘ASURO08-0’ can be compared to the commercial variety Agastache ‘ASUBL01-0’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,376. Plants of the two cultivars are similar in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ASURO08-0’, however, differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety produces rose-colored flowers; this         comparator produces violet colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

‘ASURO08-0’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's form, foliage, and inflorescences. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new hybrid Agastache.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the new variety at about 6 months old from a rooted cutting grown in a greenhouse in Santa Paula, Calif. during Spring.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the botanical characteristics of the new and distinct hybrid Agastache known by the denomination ‘ASURO08-0’. The detailed description was taken of an 8 month old plant in Santa Paula, Calif. All colors cited herein refer to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 Edition.

-   Botanical classification: Agastache ‘ASURO08-0’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 20 days at approximately 20 to 22° C. -   Root description: Fine, densely fibrous. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 21 days at 22° C.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright to outwardly arching perennial. Annual in     climates with low temperatures below 0° C. -   Pot size of plant described: 8 inch. -   Height: Approximately 32 cm to top of flowering plane, approximately     22 cm to top of foliage plane. -   Plant spread: Approximately 30 cm. -   Growth rate: Rapid. -   Branching characteristics: Free-branching. -   Length of primary lateral branches: Approximately 6 to 9 cm, foliage     section only. -   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 0.3 cm. -   Quantity of lateral branches: Approximately 4 to 8 branches emerge     from a pinch. -   Stem:     -   -   Color.—Near RHS Green N138A.         -   Pubescence.—Very short, dense pubescence.         -   Other stem characteristics.—Quadrangular. -   Internode length: Averages between 2.2 to 3.2 cm. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 20 weeks from 3 rooted     cuttings.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 10 to 12 fully expanded leaves per             main branch.         -   Average length.—Approximately 5.5 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 2.9 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Deltoid.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Attachment.—Stalked.         -   Margin.—Infrequently serrate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Velvety.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Young             foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage             upper side: Near RHS Green 141B. Mature foliage under side:             Near RHS Green 141C.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 144B. Venation color under side: Near RHS Green             138B.         -   Petiole.—Average Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 0.1 cm. Color: Near RHS Green 141C.         -   Foliage fragrance.—Very strong aromatic, somewhat minty             scent.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Flowering begins early Spring and     continues through late Summer. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Flowers arranged in verticillasters.     Individual flowers self-cleaning, calyx persistent. -   Flower longevity on plant: Individual flowers approximately 8 days     on the plant without significant color loss or other degradation. -   Quantity and arrangement of flowers: Between 16 and 24 fully opened     flowers per blooming spike, at one time; about 50 blooming spikes     per plant. About 10 to 18 flowers per whorl, including flower buds.     Average 5 to 7 whorls per inflorescence. Whorls are densely arranged     towards top of inflorescences, bottom 2 or 3 whorls interrupted     (about 2 to 3.5 cm between whorls). -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 7.0 cm.         -   Height.—Average range 6 to 12.0 cm. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—Average range 2.8 to 4.1 cm.         -   Diameter.—3 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 139C.         -   Orientation.—Straight.         -   Texture.—Pubescent and ridged.         -   Strength.—Strong. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—Average range 2.0 to 3.0 mm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 139D.         -   Orientation.—Straight.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Strength.—Soft and flexible. -   Corolla:     -   -   Petal arrangement.—The corolla is highly fused, zygomorphic,             bilabiate. 1 upper lip with 2 lobes, and 2 smaller lateral             petals with single lobes and 2 slightly larger highly fused             lobes forming a lower lip.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Petal apex shape.—Obtuse.         -   Entire corolla length.—Approximately 3.2 cm.         -   Entire corolla width.—Approximately 0.7 cm.         -   Attachment aspect.—About 45° to stem.         -   Persistence.—Non-persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Very aromatic, strong somewhat minty scent. -   Petal:     -   -   Length.—Upper lip Approximately 0.4 cm, lower lip             Approximately 0.5 cm. Laterals Approximately 0.3 cm.         -   Width.—Upper lip Approximately 0.5 cm, lower lip             approximately 0.6 cm, laterals Approximately 0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Tube.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 0.4 cm at widest             point. -   Color:     -   -   Petals.—When opening: Interior surface: Near RHS Red 38A.             Exterior surface: Near RHS Red 48B flushed Orange-Red 35A.             Fully opened: Interior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73C,             upper section 73D. Exterior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple             N74D. Fading: Interior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73D.             Exterior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73C. -   Floral tube:     -   -   When opening.—Interior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73C             heavily flushed Red 40D. Exterior surface: Near RHS             Red-Purple N74D heavily flushed Red 40D.         -   Fully opened.—Interior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 70D.             Exterior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple N74D.         -   Fading.—Interior surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 69B. Exterior             surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73D. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Curved ovoid.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.4 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Orange-Red 32B; apex Red 40C. -   Calyx:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Tubular. -   Sepals:     -   -   Shape.—5 sepals fused to form a tube.         -   Apex.—Highly acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Pubescent. Ridged.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 138C flushed Violet 86D.         -   Persistence.—Persistent.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—4.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 1.3 cm lower 50% fused to             petals.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Red-Purple 70C. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Length.—Approximately 1 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Red-Purple 70A.         -   Pollen.—Moderate.         -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Red-Purple 70D. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—Approximately 2.1 cm, not fused to floral parts.         -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1.9 cm. Color: Near RHS             Red-Purple 73C.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Two-parted cleft. Color: Near RHS Red-Purple             73D. Ovary color: Near RHS Red-Purple 69D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease and pest resistance: Not observed to be susceptible nor     resistant to normal diseases and pests of Agastache. -   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures     between 0 to 40° C. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant named ‘ASURO08-0’ as herein illustrated and described. 